Rebuilding Bridges Service for school absence
Rebuilding Bridges is a service for children with SEND who are regularly absent from school. It's for children in key stages 2 and 3, who are aged 7 to 14. Children need to be referred to the Rebuilding Bridges service by a professional, such as Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCo) or a Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) practitioner.
Who can use this service
To use this service, a child must be:
- a Camden resident and on roll at a mainstream Camden school (not an AP or Special School)
- often absent from school, with less than 80% attendance
- not accessing other specialist interventions for school attendance difficulties, such as Return to Learn
This service is not suitable for Children Looked After, or those on Child Protection Plans. The Virtual School Reintegration & Inclusion Specialist can offer more advice and support for supporting these children.
After a referral is made
Once a referral has been accepted, the mentoring provider PACE and the Educational Psychology Service (EPS) will provide joined-up support to the child, as well as their school and family. Family Help may also be offered to help parents and carers find the best solution.
The support lasts up to 2 school terms (between 20-24 weeks), but it may end earlier if desired outcomes have been achieved.
During the intervention, PACE and the EPS will:
- provide weekly 1-to-1 sessions during term time and possibly during school holidays
- develop a community activity programme based on the child's interests, including educational activities such as museum or art gallery visits
- work with the school to help develop plans to support the child or young person to engage with education
More information
If you have any questions about Rebuilding Bridges, speak to the SENCo at your child's school.